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Chicago to Virginia Beach


IT_Mike

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I would suggest you shoot down 295 to 460 east and come in that way vs. on 64 out of richmond. That road is a two lanes on each side crap shoot for traffic with trees right up to the edges of the road and it is DARK at night. The cager traffic on 64 is agressive as you can imagine and two lanes each way don't help, you usually end up with a mile long line of cars behind the one guy in the left lane who won't get over, each car 2 or 3 feet of the bumper of the one in front of it. I hate that road. 460 is the antithesis of curvy, but 55 mph through some small pleasant towns with plenty of places to stop and relax, also, the sides of the roads are much more visible and open and the deer are moving around here... we will be over on smith mountain lake for the weekend...

 

YMMV.

 

chris

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You'll enjoy I64 from Clifton Forge, to Richmond, VA, really pretty section for an Interstate. If you are in a hurry, Taking the WV Turnpike (I 64) is quicker than taking US 60 out of Charleston, Turnpike does have a toll,but it's not too bad. Also, don't speed if you take the Turnpike, it's holiday weekend and they will be out in force! US 60 is a 2 lane road, nice riding but there will be local traffic on it on a weekend! I guess it depends whether or not you want to go the scenic route!

 

Also US 125 from Cincinnati is a great road, but slow and twisty! I know this is what we normally look for but if you are trying to make time, 125 is not the way to go. I would suggest the AA highway out of Cincinnati, which is US 9 that turns off 275 after you cross the river on 471. Take 9 or the AA to Greyson, KY, then catch I 64.

 

If you have any specific questions about the WV part or OH from Cincinnati, shoot me a PM.

 

Steve

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Thanks for the feedback.

 

lawnchairboy: I'm well versed in 460 v. I64. I'll play the last run by ear, it'll depend upon how tired and cold I am.

 

Sellis: Thanks for the alternate route. I chose US125 specifically for the twists and turns, but may change my mind based upon the weather. I'm spending the night in Cincinnati, so this will be the morning warm up :D

 

This is the first run with my new bike (sold the RT), so I want to discover it's full capabilities to the extent the weather will allow.

 

Thanks again,

 

Mike

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*^%$@& weather!

 

Current forecast: mid 30s warming to mid-upper 40s as I get further south. This after a week of upper 40s to low 70s along the route!

 

And it's supposed to warm up for Sunday/Monday!

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Arrived in Chicago at 1100 today, 25 degrees outside. Went to add insulation and discovered I'd packed two bottoms but no tops. We finished the paperwork by about 1300 and I took a quick hop down the road to Dick's Sporting Goods. Any idea what it took to buy a jacket liner on Black Friday?

 

Took off out of Chicago around 1430, bouncing along through traffic on I90/94. The weather warmed up to a balmy 36 as I made my way across the Skyway. I discovered the GT is less resilient in gusty winds than I recall any of my other rides to be. It feels like the front tire is soft and squirrelly.

 

By 1700 the sun was starting to set and the temps were dropping. When the temps stayed at 32 for 10 miles, I started looking for a motel. I'm spending the night in Remington, Indiana and will continue on in the mornings.

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Started out a little before 0900 today, the temperature was a blistering 24°F. It warmed to 39° before sliding back to 35°. During my pre-ride, I discovered the front tire had only 36 psi, I wonder if it was low to begin with ...

 

Knocked out 200 miles before stopping for lunch in Cincinnati. It looks like I'll need that extra day to get home. I stopped at two HD dealers along the way looking for electrics to no avail.

 

Overall she rides well, plenty of power at any speed or gear. I need to pull the bars back, it doing quite a number on my lumbar.

 

Finishing lunch and I'll be back on the road by 1300. I'll skip the twisties due to the temp and risk of black ice.

 

Warmed to 41°F as I cut through Kentucky on Rt. 9 (AA). The temperatures stayed at 40° or above (max 42°) while I worked my way through KY and most of WV.

 

As I cleared Charleston on I64, I paid my $2 toll entering the mountains. Those curves are fun at high speed, but still need to watch out for ice or debris. Clearing the second tollbooth (another $2) on the east side, the temperatures plummeted to freezing so I pulled off in Mt. Hope, WV.

 

I'll take 19 South tomorrow to get back on I64 tomorrow, avoiding the tolls. ~450 miles today, stopped at 1800.

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Sounds like you're enjoying the new bike! It's had to cover a lot of miles this time of the year in this part of the country. Cold mornings, and short days, make it had to cover a lot of miles! In the summer you can pretty much ride from daylight to dark and get in a lot of miles, and still enjoy the trip, but this time of year the short daylight hours get you. I did a little trip to down the Blue Ridge Parkway into the Smoky Mts. a couple of weeks ago, and spend a whole lot more time in motels than I wanted to.

 

Steve

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Warmed to 41°F as I cut through Kentucky on Rt. 9 (AA). The temperatures stayed at 40° or above (max 42°) while I worked my way through KY and most of WV.

As I cleared Charleston on I64, I paid my $2 toll entering the mountains. Those curves are fun at high speed, but still need to watch out for ice or debris. Clearing the second tollbooth (another $2) on the east side, the temperatures plummeted to freezing so I pulled off in Mt. Hope, WV.

I'll take 19 South tomorrow to get back on I64 tomorrow, avoiding the tolls. ~450 miles today, stopped at 1800.

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Good morning from Waynesboro, VA!

 

Took off this morning at ~0750 and 22°F. Frost sure does make the seat slick ...

 

The temp dropped to 21° for a while, and rose above freezing about 0930. Traffic will be heavy today and law enforcement is already running full bore. Currently, the temp is 40° and rising with ~55° expected later in the day. I should be back on the road by 1100 and home around 1500.

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OK, first let's get the picture out of the way -

IMG_20101128_142116.jpg

 

Warmed up to the mid-40s in Richmond, and 50°F as I passed through Williamsburg. Traffic was much lighter than expected, as I maintained +10mph the whole way home.

 

Overall, a good first run. I'd have preferred warmer temps, and the chance to run some curves, but I got a good feel for the power and basic handling. I may have inadvertently reached 120mph passing others once or twice.

 

Downside, short on upper body insulation (my mistake) and I discovered a couple of deficiencies in the bike. First, there's a warp in the front rotors. Somewhat disconcerting as you come to a stop. Second, I lost one of the bulbs in the PIAA lights, and discovered the other does like the cold (wouldn't work below ~28°F).

 

Averaged ~62mph on the ride home, and 42mpg. I'm amazed at the fuel capacity range, estimated 280 miles, and the working accurate fuel gauge.

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